Parliamentary crisis deepens in Kuwait: Emir suspends parliament; court annuls 2012 elections
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    • KUWAIT

    According to reports, Kuwait's constitutional court has annulled the 2012 legislative elections, ruling that the decree to dissolve the parliament elected in 2009 was void. The court ruling would mean that the members elected in 2009 would regain their seats. The court made the decision based on a case against members elected in February 2012 and filed by candidates and voters in the First, Second, third and Fourth constituencies. Under the ruling, the 2009 -2011 parliament will convene and will submit a request to the Emir to dissolve the parliament. Fresh elections will be held within two months of the dissolution. All laws endorsed by the 2012 parliament will be pending and the next parliament will make its decision on them. 1

    In another development, Kuwaiti Emir Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah issued a decree on June 18, 2012 to suspend the parliament sessions for one month in an apparent bid to defuse tensions between the government and Members of the Parliament. The decision was based on a constitutional provision that allows the Emir to suspend parliamentary meetings for a maximum of one month. The Emir’s decision has come after tensions increased between the opposition in the parliament and the government controlled by the Al Sabah ruling family. Opposition members have repeatedly accused some members of the government of wide-ranging irregularities, forcing two cabinet ministers to quit. 2

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